The present invention relates generally to luminaires and, more particularly, to a luminaire assembly for use in indoor industrial, retail and similar lighting environments.
Luminaires are designed to produce a predetermined light distribution pattern in an area to be illuminated, such as areas found in indoor industrial, retail and similar lighting environments. Typically, luminaires include a ballast housing for supporting electrical hardware associated with the luminaire, and an optical assembly mounted to a lower end of the ballast housing. The optical assembly may include a lamp socket, a light source mounted in the lamp socket, and a reflector or refractor for providing the desired distribution of light from the light source. A lens may be mounted to a lower end of the optical assembly to enclose the light source within the reflector or refractor.
Typically, luminaires are mounted high above the surface to be illuminated by mounting the luminaire directly to the ceiling or ceiling supports, by suspending the luminaire from a large hook or threaded male pendant support that extends downwardly from the ceiling, or by mounting the luminaire directly to an electrical outlet box. Manufacturers of luminaires must therefore provide for these different approaches to mounting of the luminaire by either specific adaptation of the luminaire at the installation site or, alternatively, by providing mounting adaptors that accommodate the various kinds of installation requirements that may be encountered by the luminaire. During the installation process, electrical connections must be established between the electrical hardware of the luminaire and building power through the use of either a standard electrical cord and plug or by through-wiring in the electrical outlet box associated with the luminaire.
In the past, manufacturers of luminaires have typically shipped at least partially assembled luminaires to the installation site with the expectation that the luminaire will be supported by one or more installers during the installation process as the necessary mechanical and electrical connections are made. Thus, when a threaded pendent support is used, or the luminaire is mounted directly to an electrical outlet box, the luminaire must be manually held in place while the luminaire is mounted to the appropriate support and the required wiring connections are made. The installer must therefore concentrate on supporting the heavy luminaire at the mechanical and electrical connection site while at the same time being able to access the various tools required for installation of the luminaire. These tasks significantly add to the complexity of the installation process and greatly reduce the efficiency of the installer.
Thus, there is a need for a luminaire assembly that may be relatively easily installed at a mechanical and electrical connection site by a single installer. There is also a need for a luminaire assembly that is readily adaptable to a variety of mounting alternatives without requiring a variety of tools to complete the installation process. There is yet also a need for a luminaire assembly that does not require the full weight of the luminaire to be supported by the installer during the installation process.
The present invention overcomes the foregoing and other shortcomings and drawbacks of luminaires and methods of installing luminaires heretofore known. While the invention will be described in connection with certain embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments. On the contrary, the invention includes all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a modular luminaire assembly is provided that includes an elongated ballast housing, a wiring box mounted to an upper end of the ballast housing, and an optical assembly mounted to a lower end of the ballast housing. The ballast housing is adapted to enclose electrical hardware associated with the luminaire assembly and includes a pair of integral ballast housing members that are each preferably fabricated from a single metal sheet. Each of the ballast housing members is preferably identical in construction and includes either a top panel or a bottom panel, and a side panel integrally joined to the top or bottom panels. The side panels are joined to the top and bottom panels through fold lines that permit the side panels to be folded by hand generally perpendicularly to the top and bottom panels. Before the folding operation, the ballast housing members have a configuration that is easily stackable or nestable.
To assemble the ballast housing, the pair of ballast housing members are arranged in reverse orientation to join the top panel and side panel of one of the ballast housing members with the bottom panel and side panel of the other ballast housing member. Upon assembly of the pair of ballast housing members, a pair of openings are formed at the opposite ends of the ballast housing. A pair of end panels are provided that mount to the opposite ends of the pair of ballast housing members for covering the openings formed at the opposite ends of the assembled ballast housing. Alternatively, the end panels may be formed integrally with the ballast housing members.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the ballast housing includes a pair of openings on an upper end that are adapted to receive a pair of bent tabs formed on a lower end of the wiring box. In this way, the wiring box pivotally supports the ballast housing between inoperative and operative positions to facilitate mechanical and electrical connection of the ballast housing with the wiring box. The wiring box may be shipped and installed prior to the ballast housing and optical assembly to simplify the installation process. When the ballast housing and optical assembly are fully assembled, they are pivotally supported by the tabs of the wiring box in the inoperative position to permit the necessary electrical connections to be made. Thereafter, the ballast housing and optical assembly may be pivoted upwardly and connected to the wiring box through a captive screw mounted on an upper end of the ballast housing. The wiring box may be connected directly to a horizontal support such as a ceiling. Alternatively, a hook member is provided to mount the luminaire assembly to a hook support, and a connector is provided to mount the luminaire assembly to the threaded end of a pendant support.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the ballast housing includes a pair of support arms that depend from the side panels to releasably support the optical assembly. During assembly of the luminaire assembly, the optical assembly is joined to a lower end of the ballast housing simply by pivoting lower ends of the support arms toward each other to engage mounting flanges provided on a top panel of the reflector or refractor. In this way, the optical assembly may be quickly and easily assembled with the ballast housing at the installation site.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the optional lens is biased toward and into engagement with a lower end of the optical assembly through a spring mechanism. A grasping member extends through the lens and has one end connected to the spring mechanism. When the lens is manually pulled away from the lower end of the optical assembly by the grasping member, the lens automatically rotates relative to the optical assembly upon sufficient clearance from the lower end of the optical assembly. In this way, the relamping procedure is greatly simplified.
The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention shall be made apparent from the accompanying drawings and the description thereof.